Saint Agnes

Saint Agnes

Agnes, Saint, 4th cent., virgin martyr. A noble Roman girl martyred at the age of 13 after rejecting a well-born suitor. She was included in the Depositio Martyrum of 354. On her feast day lambs are blessed and pallia (see pallium) are made from their wool. Feast: Jan. 21.

(flourished 4th century, Rome; feast day January 21) Legendary Christian martyr, the patron saint of girls. According to tradition, she was a beautiful virgin who turned away all suitors, declaring that she could have no spouse but Jesus. The rejected suitors informed Roman officials that she was a Christian, and she was punished by being exposed in a brothel. There she was left miraculously unharmed; the only man who attempted to violate her was struck blind, and she healed him with prayer. She was later murdered during the persecutions ordered by Diocletian.

History

Pauline Gannon, a nun for the Dominican Sisters of Houston, Texas, founded St. Agnes Academy in 1905. St. Agnes opened on February 11, 1906, at 3901 Fannin in what is now considered to be Midtown. The school was named after Saint Agnes of Rome. The school was founded as a grade 1 through 12 school with boarding facilities. The University of Texas and the Texas State Board of Education accredited St. Agnes in 1917. In 1939 boarding was discontinued. In 1952, St. Agnes began to serve grades 9 through 12 only.

New Site

In September 1963 the school opened at 9000 Bellaire Boulevard at the intersection of Gessner Drive next to Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in the Sharpstown neighborhood of Houston, where it resides as of 2006. The land was originally donated by Frank Sharp, the developer of Sharpstown, to the Jesuits, who in turn "sold" the land to the Dominican sisters for one penny.

Founding Principles

Mission Statement

The school's mission statement reads: "Rooted in the Dominican tradition, St. Agnes Academy provides a Catholic college preparatory education that encourages young women to develop intellectual curiosity, to work for social justice and to act with integrity and compassion."

Students

Just as the students at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, the Jesuit high school next door, the students at SAA are required before graduation to complete a Junior and Senior service project, with the Senior service project requiring 100+ hours of community service.

In addition, St. Agnes Academy students, known as "Academy Women", must have a computer laptop as part of their school experience. The school is wireless and many assignments are assigned, submitted and graded via electronic files instead of on paper.

Technology

The school uses a closed circuit television system known as Veritas Television (VTV). Televisions are in every class room. Daily morning announcements are presented by the student body president and vice president and are produced by students. This is similar in format to Strake Jesuit's "Strake Jesuit Educational Television" (SJET) closed-circuit system.

Decade of Peace Program

St. Agnes Academy has responded to the call by Noble Peace Laureates, the United Nations and our Dominican Sisters to take part in the Decade of Peace and Nonviolence. Over the course of the academic year the student body and faculty/staff will participate in the program.